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Maxine Waters wants Trump to be 'charged with premeditated murder' as he knew about Capitol riots in 'advance'

'We've got to fight as hard as we can to see to it that there's some justice,' the Democratic Rep. said

Rep. Maxine Waters of California has proposed that former President Donald J. Trump must face premeditated murder charges for the lives lost during the U.S. Capitol breach on January 6. During an appearance on MSNBC's The ReidOut on Tuesday, Waters said she felt "lucky" to be locked in her office amid the riots. She also said she could relate to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's controversial claims that the latter detailed on her Instagram Live earlier this week.

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"Because I took on this president early, I called for his impeachment early, I have been threatened time and time again," Waters claimed, before listing some of the alleged threats she has dealt with at her California office over the years. She then alleged that Trump "had advance planning" of the Capitol invasion on January 6.

"They are following the president of the United States of America, who had advance planning about the invasion that took place in our Capitol," Waters said of the rioters. "There's information that some of the planning came out of individuals working in his campaign. As a matter of fact, he absolutely should be charged with premeditated murder because of the lives that were lost with this invasion, with this insurrection," she said of Trump.

Waters, who represents California's 43rd District in Los Angeles County, said she had learned to look out for herself over time and noted she and other minority women in Congress "are often threatened." "Yes, we are threatened. But we can't back off," Waters said. "We've got to fight as hard as we can to see to it that there's some justice."

However, the California Congresswoman suffered a backlash from many on the other side of the political aisle. "Maxine Waters: Trump should be charged with premeditated murder. Also Maxine Waters: 'If you see anybody from the Trump Administration in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you create a crowd. And you push back on them.' Who’s the one inciting violence?" Congresswoman Lauren Boebert tweeted.

"I was physically assaulted in a restaurant by a Waters acolyte," Congressman Steve King added.

"Libs didn’t seem too shook when @RepMaxineWaters implored people to harass/drive out conservatives wherever we are Didn’t seem to care when @SarahHuckabee or @SecNielsen were heckled/harassed at dinner. Didn’t seem to care when I had water thrown on me at brunch with my parents," Conservative firebrand Tomi Lahren chimed in.

As both chambers of Congress convened at the Capitol building on January 6 to certify Joe Biden's Electoral College victory, Trump spoke at a "Save America" rally nearby. At some point during the rally, protesters breached the Capitol security and broke into the building. The violence that ensued claimed the lives of four civilians and one Capitol Police officer. The following weeks saw two Capitol Police officers commit suicide.

In response to the article of impeachment, Trump's defense team has argued that it would be unconstitutional to convict a president who is no longer in office. They have also asked the Senate to vote to acquit him should the trial move forward, Newsweek reported.